Killings of Indigenous People Grow 22.7 Percent in 2018, Report Shows

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The states with the most recorded deaths last year were Roraima, where 62 homicides occurred, and Mato Grosso do Sul, where 38 deaths were recorded.

The data, collected from the mapping of cases throughout the country by the Indigenous Missionary Council (CIMI), are part of the report Violence against the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil – 2018 Data.

The document was released yesterday, September 24th, at the headquarters of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops (CNBB), in Brasília.

In incidents categorized as “violence against the individual,” the survey last year listed 22 assassination attempts, 18 second-degree murders, 15 instances of sexual violence, 17 cases of racism and ethnic-racial discrimination, 14 diverse threats, 11 situations of abuse of power and eight death threats.

Invasions

The research also mapped invasions of indigenous lands, illegal exploitation of natural resources, and diverse damage to these populations’ heritage. In 2018, the team in charge counted 111 such situations. The number was higher than in 2017 when CIMI acknowledged 96 similar occurrences.

When the document was released, partial data for 2019 up to September was provided. According to the organization, 160 cases of land invasion or illegal exploitation of resources were mapped in 153 indigenous lands.

According to those in charge of the study, while these forms of violation against the territories have been occurring for decades, recently many invaders have not only ceased to illegally exploit resources (such as logging) but have begun to take over the areas, through illegal occupation and subdivision practices for part of their territory.

The document mentions the indigenous lands of Arariboia, in Maranhão, and Karipuna and Uru Eu Wau Wau, in Rondônia. A further issue is the establishment of illegal mines. According to the CIMI, an instance of this is the Munduruku indigenous land in Pará.

“The logger comes in, cleans up the land, removes the wood and the area is now used for real estate speculation. It is the practice of the ‘fait accompli’. He takes from the land what it has to offer and passes it on to the land grabber, who will fight for this area to be legalized. And the State is destroying the bodies that should curb land invasions,” said Roberto Liebgott, one of the researchers.

Demarcation

The report lists 821 cases of “omission and delay in land regularization” and 11 conflicts involving territorial rights. According to the CIMI, out of 1,290 indigenous lands in Brazil, 821 (63 percent) would have what the organization calls “some pendency from the State for the finalization of the demarcation process”.

The Surui chief, of the Pataxó people and the Barra Velha village, in Porto Seguro (BA), asserted the original nature of the peoples and called for the demarcation of indigenous lands. “We have been in Brazil since long before Cabral. We are the first Brazilians, not the last. We are fighting for demarcation”.

Council representatives commented on President Jair Bolsonaro’s speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), who said on the occasion that he did not intend to demarcate new territories.

“The indigenous peoples, by demanding the demarcation of their territories, become targets to be fought. May the sores of violence not be sponsored by those who should fight them. May the State place itself at the side of human rights and nature,” said the president of the CIMI, Bishop Roque Paloschi.